Spectral imaging and X-ray microanalysis with multiple detectors

We have progressively refined our requirements for high quality x-ray mapping, which has been a process of learning, advancing our hardware and redefining our requirements. Mapping is not a simple ‘one size fits all’ scenario. There are still simple applications where dot mapping, especially with a wavelength dispersive spectrometer, can achieve the required results. The good thing about mapping is that there is always something new that can be learned and we are continually pushing back the boundaries of what can be achieved with mapping. It won’t be far into the future that we will have an electron microscope specifically set up to do live x-ray imaging, as we now do for electron imaging. The biggest problem we face is one of being able to determine the level of sophistication in our treatment of the data collected. As with automatic peak identification and standardless analysis it is very easy to produce bad results. The good news is that if you are prepared to set your system up for high quality standards analysis, then most of these problems disappear.